Voluntary aided school · Bolton

St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell

3–11Ages
366Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
105218URN

Eskrick Street, Bolton, BL1 3JB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.2 below Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

73 applications for 41 places · 64th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

50%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 10 March 2026Published 20 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement			Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years		Strong standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

10 March 2026
Report card · 6 Strong standard, 1 Expected standard
1 December 2021
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

0.2 below Bolton median (2.0) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

73 applications · 41 places offered · 35 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.8; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 1.7; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.6; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 1.7; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 2.3; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 1.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 1.8; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 2.3; Bolton median median 2.1

This school
Bolton median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	41	73	1.8	35	0.85
Sep 2025	43	74	1.7	39	0.91
Sep 2024	44	86	2.0	48	1.09
Sep 2023	45	73	1.6	47	1.04
Sep 2022	32	56	1.8	28	0.88
Sep 2021	44	74	1.7	41	0.93
Sep 2020	24	56	2.3	20	0.83
Sep 2019	36	72	2.0	36	1.00
Sep 2018	36	65	1.8	31	0.86
Sep 2017	30	48	1.6	30	1.00
Sep 2016	38	69	1.8	36	0.95
Sep 2015	34	61	1.8	35	1.03
Sep 2014	32	73	2.3	32	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 71% · Writing 57% · Maths 71% → all three 50% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard50%79th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard71%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard21%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard57%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth5%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard71%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard5%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Bolton median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	50%	2%	104	103
2023/24	44%	5%	103	104
2022/23	54%	10%	103	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Thomas C of E Primary School, HalliwellThis school
This school

2026

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
The Olive School, Bolton
0.3 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 95%met the SATs standard
Brownlow Fold Primary School
0.3 km · Bolton

2026

2.3applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton
0.4 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Oxford Grove Primary School
0.5 km · Bolton

Outstanding2023

3.0applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton
0.8 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

1.1applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Gaskell Community Primary School
0.9 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
The Valley Community Primary School
0.9 km · Bolton

Outstanding2023

2.0applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
1.1 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105218 · 350/3314
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 367 pupils · 366 on roll
Free school meals: 29.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Eskrick Street, Bolton, BL1 3JB
Local authority: Bolton

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources